Parisians urged to pray ‘for hope not hate’ at Notre Dame service
Cardinal calls on country not to ‘provoke aggression’ but to remember attack victims
People attend a service at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Sunday ahead of a ceremony for the victims of Friday’s terrorist attacks.
Sun, Nov 15, 2015, 19:37
The people of Paris have been urged to “pray for hope, not hate” at a ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral to mourn the 132 people killed and hundreds injured in Friday’s terror attacks.
During an 80-minute service inside the French landmark, Cardinal Andre XXIII called on the country not to “provoke aggression” but to remember the dead in the wake of the “barbaric” attack on the country.
He said: “We pray for hope, not hate. “The main purpose of us meeting is to pray for the dead, their relatives, the wounded, our country.”
Cathedral bells
The service began after the famous cathedral bells rang out over the Seine and across the centre of Paris, marking the memory of the dead.
Crowds had gathered behind heavily controlled barriers around Place Jean Paul II square throughout the afternoon, eager to be among those permitted onto the pews inside.
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Oblivious to the drama outside, inside the cathedral a handful of people took pictures and videos on their camera phones during the service, which featured hymns, prayers, an organist and burning incense.
Members of the congregation were asked to shake hands with those around them before Cardinal Andre closed the service, shortly after 7.50pm local time (6.50pm Irish time).
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/parisians-urged-to-pray-for-hope-not-hate-at-notre-dame-service-1.2431213
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Today is the first Sunday of advent and in view of recent tragedies this France Culture broadcast might be of interest. It's a mostly choral performance of 54 minutes recorded this morning at Sainte Croix abbey in Bordeaux, formerly a Benedictine monastery, now a parish church and national monument, at 1:00 am (10:00 am Paris time):
29.11.2015 - Premier dimanche de l'Avent
Depuis l'Abbatiale Sainte-Croix, place Pierre Renaudel, 33800 Bordeaux
L’église Sainte-Croix, à Bordeaux, est l'ancienne abbatiale d'un monastère bénédictin. Elle a désormais rang d'église paroissiale. L'église fait l’objet d’un classement au titre des monuments historiques par la liste de 1840.
Le 1er dimanche de l'Avent ouvre une nouvelle année liturgique. Et tout de suite nous voici projetés à la fin des temps : l'évangile nous parle de ciel qui tombe et de gens qui meurent. Que nous veut la Parole de Dieu avec ces «malheurs arrivant sur le monde» sinon nous secouer pour la venue du Fils de l'homme ?
http://www.franceculture.fr/emission-la-messe-premier-dimanche-de-l-avent-2015-11-29
Podcast link: http://www.franceculture.fr/player/reecouter?play=5106881